Two disciples, Peti Deer, 14, of Fairfield, left, and Peter Ribbens, 13, of Trumbull, stand by a donkey as part of a Palm Sunday Mass at First Presbyterian Church in Fairfield, Conn. on Sunday. March 24, 2013.
Photo: BK Angeletti, B.K. Angeletti

Two disciples, Peti Deer, 14, of Fairfield, left, and Peter...

Carol Fraser, of Fairfield, pets a donkey after a Palm Sunday Mass at First Presbyterian Church in Fairfield, Conn. on Sunday. March 24, 2013. The donkey was part of the church's observance of the ancient Christian holy day.
Photo: BK Angeletti, B.K. Angeletti

Pastor Edward F. Duffy stands by a donkey after a Palm Sunday Mass at First Presbyterian Church in Fairfield, Conn. on Sunday. March 24, 2013. The donkey was part of the church's observance of the ancient Christian holy day.
Photo: BK Angeletti, B.K. Angeletti

FAIRFIELD -- The children sat cross-legged in the front of the First Presbyterian Church Sunday morning holding palm branches close to their chests.

"Are these palms real?" asked one little boy, just minutes before the children headed to Sunday school to learn about Palm Sunday, the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and was welcomed by people waving palm branches.

Indeed, the palms were real. But it wasn't until the children were seated in class that they learned about the day's big surprise -- a live donkey would soon arrive on the church's front lawn.

After that, "it was so hard to keep their attention through the whole class," said teacher Kim Louise Spinosa, laughing.

As soon as the children were led outside, the palms were given to parents so Jessie, a 20-year-old donkey from JC's Pony Parties in Seymour, wouldn't confuse them for food.

"I feel like the donkey is going to chase me," said one middle-schooler, as Jessie lazily swung its head his way.

"I like it," declared kindergartner Audrey Anderson, who needed little prompting to remember who rode the donkey in the day's gospel readings.

"Jesus," she said, beaming.

Peti Deer, 14, said he didn't expect to be chosen to dress up as one of the disciples sent by Jesus to get the donkey he would later ride into Jerusalem.

"It was a good surprise," Peti said. "You have a real sense of what it was like."

Parishioner Jen Richard's eyes grew wide as Beth Brooks, Jessie's handler, informed the group that donkeys have dark hair on their backs shaped like a cross.

"I think it's fabulous," said Richard, a Fairfield resident. "It just strikes me that the donkey is so meek and mild. I didn't know there was a cross on the back of every one. It makes it seem more real."

Her son, James, who finished reading the Old Testament in his children's Bible recently, was excited to touch and take pictures with Jessie, "especially on Palm Sunday because that's when Jesus rode to town on a donkey."